Therese Dawe: We must put a human face on mental health disorders

Oct. 6, 2012

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Therese Dawe is a member of the LSJ Community panel and lives in Lansing.

Several years ago I was at a restaurant having dinner with a friend. A disheveled woman ran up to our table, grabbed my fork and held it firmly to my left temple. She was trembling as she spoke in a loud, angry voice. I felt terrified that this woman could drive that fork into my brain, yet this was clearly someone who was mentally ill and I felt immense compassion for her. Her husband and the restaurant manager were able to remove her.

This week we heard that a Michigan State University professor had a break down in front of his class and was taken by police to the hospital. His behavior was strange and frightening to some. He ended up taking most of his clothes off before running into the hallway.

Response was mixed, but I found many comments to be derogatory and demeaning toward this man, who had a personal mental health crisis that played out in the public. Would he have chosen this? I believe not. I read posts on the LSJ website as well as Facebook and there was a lot of reaction to the behavior and how it affected the students. It must have been a disturbing scene, and while I appreciate the frightening nature of the event, it creates an opportunity for all of us to think about what mental illness is, and how we can support those who struggle with this.

I believe there needs to be more open discussion about mental health issues to remove the veil of secrecy that prevents some from seeking the help they need. If this professor had experienced a heart attack that morning, there would have been an outpouring of compassion. Instead, his vulnerabilities were open for public discussion.

Illness, whether physical or mental, can be hard to look at. We show more heart when we support those who struggle with these challenges.